Cacao

CACAO, seeds of the fruits of the cacao tree Theobroma Cacao L. (fam. Sterculiaceae), growing in a wild state in the primeval forests of the Amazon River basin and cultivated in the tropical countries of America, Africa, and Asia (up to 13° north and south latitude). The fruit has the shape of a cucumber and reaches a length of 10-15 cm. Mature fruits are filled with a fleshy mass, in which 40-60 seeds are arranged in rows. Upon ripening of the fruits, the cacao beans are removed from them, washed with water, and dried in the sun. Such beans are distinguished by a tart, sour-bitter taste and belong to the lower grades (sun-dried cacao). Another processing of cacao, yielding a more valuable product, consists in the fact that after drying in the sun, the cacao beans are subjected for 4-6 days to fermentation in piles on the surface of the ground or buried in the ground in barrels (earth-cacao), after which they are subjected to drying in the sun for 4-6 days. Fermentation deprives the cacao beans of the ability to sprout, colors them a brownish or violet color, and imparts to them a pleasant taste and aromatic smell. Further processing of cacao seeds is carried out in factories and consists of cleaning, sorting by size, roasting at 120-140°, crushing (whereby seed coats, dust, and embryos are removed from the product), mixing of different varieties of cacao, and grinding. The resulting cacao mass is pressed, and almost half of the fat is removed from it. The pressed product is ground again, mixed with spices, and sifted through silk sieves; a fine brownish-red cacao powder is obtained. A cacao drink, prepared from cacao powder with milk and sugar, besides high taste qualities, also possesses significant nutritional value, as a result of which it is often prescribed to convalescents and children (it is unsuitable for nervous children due to its significant stimulating effect). Treatment of the powder with alkalis to give it the ability to form a more stable suspension (Dutch cacao, "soluble cacao") cannot be considered desirable from a hygienic standpoint if these impurities are contained in excess. Cacao powder is used in large quantities for the preparation of chocolate. The cacao butter (Butyrum Cacao) (see Cacao butter) remaining after the processing of cacao seeds finds application in pharmaceutical practice. The alkaloid theobromine (see) contained in cacao acts as a stimulant on the nervous system. Theobromine is isolated from cacao beans. Cacao powder contains on average in percentages: water 5.54, nitrogenous substances 20.33, theobromine 1.88, fat 28.34, starch 15.60, nitrogen-free extractive substances 17.70, fiber 5.37, ash 5.24. Traces of copper are contained in the shells of cacao seeds. The pigment of cacao powder (Cacaorot, cacao-red dye) is not found in freshly harvested cacao seeds, but is formed during fermentation and drying by the oxidation of cacao tannins. Falsifications of cacao powder—the addition of starch, sugar, husks, and other substances, as well as the replacement of cacao butter with cheaper fats—are detected by microscopic and chemical analyses.